"Drake named Raptors' ambassador"

From ESPN.com

Analysis by Dru Henderson in SRM 435 (section 1)

In this article ESPN covers the groundbreaking news that the Toronto Raptors hired the well-known rapper Drake as an ambassador for the team. A celebrity in the NBA is no new trend. Jay-Z was a minority owner in the Nets (he recently sold his stock to Jason Kidd), Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are minority owners of the Sixers, and its no shock to catch Jack Nicholson and Spike Lee front row of a Lakers-Knicks game. However, this is the first time a celebrity has been such a vital part of an organization.

So what can Drake, who has no professional experience in the sport industry, bring to the Raptors? A lot actually. The rapper is one of the premier artists in the music industry today. He has a huge following, which is shown by his 13,000,000+ Twitter followers. He can attract an audience that otherwise would not attend a Raptors game. Fans of the musician may not be basketball fans, but if Drake endorses the team its safe to say they will follow close behind. As a native of Toronto, Drake’s fame has made him an icon in the territory. If he attends games regularly he can pull the hometown crowd out to the game by just his presence. He more than likely won’t be the only celebrity in the crowd. Fame has made the rapper an acquaintance of several A-List celebrities. This season you may flip the channel to TNT and catch Drake and Lil Wayne front row of a Raptors game. Celebrity appearances do wonders for the marketing department of an organization as fans get the chance to see celebrities in the same crowd as themselves.

The Raptors have struggled in recent years resulting in relatively poor fan attendance. In 2012 they ranked 17th in the league with an average attendance of 16,835. Through two games this season the organization has attracted an average of 19,312 fans, which is seventh best in the NBA. Has Drake’s presence already made an impact? It’s a little early to know that, but it will be interesting to follow throughout the season. 

Drake’s role won’t be solely focused on fan attendance. The recent trend in the NBA is super stars joining forces during free agency. Drake has become close with several NBA stars including LeBron James. He holds the potential to open up opportunities for stars to team up in Toronto through his networking skills, and his ability to attract the athletes simply by his celebrity status.

Overall I think this was a brilliant move by the Toronto Raptors. Unless Drake has a social mishap that would represent the organization in a less than desirable way I don’t see where this situation could end badly for the Raptors. 

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Analysis by Aaron Jason in SRM 435 (section 1)

The article summarizes the initiation of Drake as the new global ambassador of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Drake, a rapper from Toronto, has been a long time sports fan and specifically a supporter of the Raptors. On top of the amount of brand recognition Drake will bring to the franchise with just his name, he brings much more to the table than that alone.

Drake possesses a sort of intellect that many rappers do not seem to possess; he shows true, relatable emotion in his songs and strikes true in the heart of many people through his role on Degrassi as an ex-basketball player with a debilitating gunshot injury. His intelligence will be on full display as an ambassador. He is not focused on creating personal name recognition, he more cares about the revival of a franchise who so desperately needs it. He has shown he understands the fundamentals of a successful ambassador. He connects well with people through his messages on a deeper level than most artists. Not only does he have many music fans, he has many fans of him as a person. From a marketing standpoint, this will be absolutely essential to his success. Fans of his music, fans of the Raptors, and people who simply support him as an individual will all unite into a new demographic of fanhood, similar to what Jay-Z constructed in Brooklyn with the Nets. Beyond the fan connection, Drake’s name will bring more non-basketball fans into attendance of what is going on with the Raptors. Whether people follow him on Twitter or read about him in the news, they will now have a steady stream of information relating to the Raptors show up on their feeds or web searches. Drake also brings a hip factor into the equation. While it is not good to completely stray from the traditional values of an NBA franchise, a little infusion of youth and excitement will only increase sales and awareness of the organization.

Another interesting factor in this equation is his upbringing in Toronto. It is more than ideal that a global representative of a team should be from that area. If anyone knows what the city yearns for most from a fan standpoint, it would be Drake who was submerged in the culture of Toronto and specifically the Raptors. His connection on a cultural level will do wonders for his ability to connect with the outside world and promote his product, the Toronto Raptors. Overall, it seems highly inevitable that Drake will bring large brand recognition and excitement with the Raptors as a new partner of his. Even if the team does not immediately win, the culture and understanding of the city Drake possesses will help him connect to a fan base better than many professional ambassadors could attempt to do. Between high class celebrities, the enticement of star free agents, and the money revenue generated from his name, Drake is bringing a potential storm of success through the city of Toronto and he has the real possibility to turn this project into a serious success not only in the town but across the game of basketball in and beyond our country.